#13. Pecan Polvorones

Polvorone means "dust" in Spanish. These are spanish shortbread cookies made with ground pecans. They are deliciously crumbly, and buttery. They have a wonderfully easy to make filing, a caramel sauce that takes 2 minutes, made with muscovado sugar (which can be found at health food stores), this sugar is unrefined, which gives it a really unique fudge flavor. Very tasty.

1 1/2C ground pecans
1/3C sugar
1/t salt
2 sticks softened butter
2t vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
3C all purpose flour

 Cream the butter, with the extract, the salt and the sugar. Add the yolk, then the pecans. Add flour at the end. Wrap in plastic wrap, chill for 20 minutes in the freezer. Roll into small balls, maybe 3/4" in size. Put on parchment. Then with the bottom of a wooden spoon dipped in flour, push into the center of the ball to make a thumbprint. Or a baby bottle of tabasco, dipped in flour works perfectly. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool.

As they're cooling make the filling.
In a saucepan put 2/3C dark muscovado sugar
1/3C heavy cream
1/8t salt

Stir, bring to a boil, let it bubble for 2 minutes. Take off the heat, and with a tablespoon pour it into the center of the cookies. Let sit for the filling to set.